- Title: SAUDI ARABIA-FALCONS Safe roost for Saudi falcons ahead of hunting season
- Date: 17th November 2014
- Summary: QASSEM, SAUDI ARABIA (RECENT - NOVEMBER 3, 2014) (REUTERS) OWNER OF FALCON 'TIE HALL', NASSER AL-AUJAYMI, WALKING TOWARDS FALCONS WITH LEATHER HOODS ON, WHILE OWNERS WATCH ON AUJAYMI TAKING LEATHER HOOD OFF FALCON FALCON FALCON FLYING FROM AUJAYMI'S HAND TO PERCH FALCON SITTING ON PERCH FALCON FLYING FROM PERCH TO AUJAYMI'S HAND VARIOUS OF FALCON EATING FROM AUJAYMI'S HAND FOUR FALCONS SITTING ON PERCH WITH LEATHER HOOD ON AUJAYMI EXPLAINING TO FALCON OWNER THAT HIS BIRD IS READY TO BE TAKEN TO THE DESERT TO HUNT FALCON OWNERS SITTING IN TIE HALL ROOM, FALCON SITTING ON PERCH IN FRONT OF OWNERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF FALCON 'TIE HALL', NASSER AL-AUJAYMI, SAYING: "The 'tie' of the bird is the stage when the feathers begin to change. This is in the summer period, from the first of April until the start or the end of October. In this period we tie the birds and give them a medical check-up. We can then treat the bird for disease or anything else that is wrong with it. We take care of feeding and cleaning the bird until the owner comes back to pick it up, when the feather changes is complete, God willing." VARIOUS OF AUJAYMI SPRAYING WATER OF FALCON AND CLEANING ITS FEATHERS AUJAYMI SHOWING WINGS OF BUSTARDS HIS FALCONS HAVE HUNTED LARGE BANNER READING (Arabic): 'AL-NAYFAH CENTRE FOR BIRDS TIE' TRAINER, ABDULSALLAM AL-SHAREEDAH, PUTTING FALCON IN CAR AND CLIMBING INTO DRIVER'S SEAT SHAREEDAH RECITING VERSUS OF SAUDI HERITAGE POETRY RELATING TO THE FALCON FALCON BREEDERS AND TRAINERS GATHERED AROUND FIRE, FALCONS SITTING ON PERCH IN FOREGROUND SHAREEDAH GETTING OUT OF CAR WITH FALCON TO JOIN BREEDERS AND TRAINERS SHAREEDAH SECURING FALCON ON PERCH IN SAND NEAR OTHER FALCONS, ALL WEARING LEATHER HOODS YOUNG BOY SERVING COFFEE BREEDERS AND TRAINERS GATHERED AROUND FIRE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FALCON TRAINER, MOHAMMAD AL-AREENI, SAYING: "Hunting is an ancient pastime from the heritage of our fathers and grandfathers. After them, their children came and after us, our children will come. It is a hobby, a beautiful hobby and loved by many people. They work hard, they go long and short distances and do not care about the intensity of the training." FALCON FLYING FROM PERCH VARIOUS OF SHAREEDAH TRAINING WITH FALCON TO HELP IT REGAIN FITNESS AFTER THE LONG TIE PERIOD FALCON LANDING ON SHAREEDAH'S HAND VARIOUS OF FALCON EATING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FALCON TRAINER, ABDULSALLAM AL-SHAREEDAH, SAYING: "Sunset is the best time to train the birds in preparation for hunting, so that the bird will have good fitness when it starts hunting bustards. As for training, with a non-trained bird we make it familiar with the bustards, we buy it a bustard and train the bird to handle it. This bird is ready to hunt bustards. He has hunted 15 bustards already, but now I am working on helping him restoring his fitness." FALCON EATING FALCON CALLING
- Embargoed: 2nd December 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA4Z3D0V3Q4U23HUSUPRWUVYJWE
- Story Text: Falconry is a hobby that has always been associated with royalty and the rich, but nowadays the 'Sport of Kings' is taking flight with everyday people in Saudi Arabia.
Owners are flocking to specialised facilities known as a 'tie', that house birds of prey for up to six months before the hunting season begins.
The dedicated falcon hall is equipped with insulated walls, a special cooling system and sand floor to mimic the desert conditions.
The overall health of the birds is very important.
An analysis of its blood is undertaken and it is vaccinated against keloid epilepsy, which can be caused when the birds are overexerted.
The tie usually begins in March and ends in October.
During that time the falcons will remain inside the tie hall and be cared for day and night by a falconry expert.
"The 'tie' of the bird is the stage when the feathers begin to change. This is in the summer period, from the first of April until the start or end of October. In this period we tie the birds and give them a medical check-up. We can then treat the bird for disease or anything else that is wrong with it. We take care of feeding and cleaning the bird until the owner comes back to pick it up, when the feather changes is complete, God willing," Nasser Al-Aujaymi, who owns one of the most famous tie houses in the Qassem area, explains.
The total cost to tie a bird for seven months with an experienced handler is around 2,500 Saudi Riyal ($665 USD).
Falconry has long been associated with the Arab world, not only as a sport, but also as an important cultural aspect.
Centuries ago in the region, Bedouin tribesmen used falcons -- "saqr" in Arabic -- to hunt for meat in the winter, when the only food available were dates, camel milk and bread.
But because of its popularity as a sport and the availability of the birds, falconry is expanding, and no longer reserved for the super-wealthy.
"Hunting is an ancient pastime from the heritage of our fathers and grandfathers. After them, their children came and after us, our children will come. It is a hobby, a beautiful hobby and loved by many people. They work hard, they go long and short distances and do not care about the intensity of the training," said falcon trainer Mohammad al-Areeni, who gathered with a group off breeders and trainers in the desert.
One of the regions famed trainers, Abdulsallam al-Shareedah, shared his insight into training a successful hunter following the tie period.
"Sunset is the best time to train the birds in preparation for hunting, so that the bird will have good fitness when it starts hunting bustards. As for training, with a non-trained bird we make it familiar with the bustards, we buy it a bustard and train the bird to handle it. This bird is ready to hunt bustards. He has hunted 15 bustards already, but now I am working on helping him restoring his fitness," he said.
Shareedah's falcon is worth around 120,000 Saudi Riyal ($32,000 USD), and is one of the fastest in the Kingdom.
Some falcons are able to dive at speeds over 320 km/h (200 mph).
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